Corn Insect Pest Management with Recommended At-Planting Insecticides, 1995

Nine insecticide treatments were evaluated against soil insects in no-till corn at the Macon Ridge location of the Northeast Research Station. Hairy vetch, Vicia villosa Roth, was used as a winter cover crop across the entire test area. An application of Gramoxone Extra (1.5 pt [form]/acre) was applied 2 weeks pre-plant and again immediately post-plant to terminate all vegetation. Corn was planted no-till in a Gigger silt loam (pH = 5.9, 1.8% organic matter) on 3 Apr in plots of 4 rows (40 inch centers) X 35 ft. Treatments were arranged in a RCB design with 4 replications. Treatments were applied as in-furrow sprays at planting (IFSAP), in-furrow granules at planting (IFGAP), and t-banded granules (T-BAND). A John Deere 7300 planter was modified to apply treatments through a granular applicator hopper box or as a spray directed into the seed furrow. IFSAP treatments were applied with a CO2 charged system calibrated to deliver 5 gpa through 8002 flat fan nozzles (1/row) at 25 psi. The number of insect damaged plants on the center 2 rows of each plot was recorded weekly for 4 wk beginning at seedling emergence. Plant stand density was measured on 11 May by sampling 2 center rows of each plot. Intra-row skip distances between plants (>12 inches) and seedcorn yields were determined on the 2 center rows of each plot on 15 and 17 Aug, respectively. The test area was furrow irrigated throughout the season and rainfall was not a factor influencing final yields. Data were analyzed with ANOVA, and means were separated according to DMRT.